Althort’s Diary

8th Hreth

Well’s End Inn, Silverwell

Given job to make a decent map of Drove Road and tributaries as far as and on into the fair land of Rovanna. Prefer to map less remote regions but the price for this is good and you never know, I might find lucrative business in that region. Not sure I want to travel so early in the year, but needs must. I want to return by mid-summer.

9th

Word gets out quick. Got a number of letters to deliver. Seems the journey to Rovanna isn’t made very often so when folk heard I was going I was asked to carry a few letters. Glad to do anything for a price. Not so sure about one cloaked character though but he paid well.

11th Hreth

The weather is fine. Onyx and I just taking a steady pace. Drove road not very well cared for these days. Still passable… obviously because the merchants travel thrice a year but I would have though it would have been better looked after.

15th

Don’t like riding through the Scour, as I have named it. This deep gully twists and turns like a corkscrew and goes on for at least 3 miles. The heat in there is oppressive for the time of year and the road is narrow and rough. Several landslides have slipped down the gully sides. Road still passable by carts though. Some thick spiny bushes grow in places along the road.

21st Hreth

Drove road isn’t taxing my skills! Very few side routes so far, although I did ride up one narrow rough track about a mile north of The Scour, about 4 miles short of Moorthan. It looked as though it might have been travelled often at one time but my tracking skills are not up to much to work out if it is still used. I stopped after about a mile, marked it on the map and went on my way.

Heard wolves howling in the night. Didn’t know they came this far east!

22nd

Made it to Moorthan late afternoon. This small fort houses a little garrison of Dragonborn Protectors who protect the merchant caravans, for a price! Didn’t linger long with them as their company is not to my taste but did have to stay overnight to rest Onyx.

23rd

Set out early in the new light of dawn. Travelled for a short time with a peddler, until he stopped to rest. Want to get on with this job. The drove road is getting tedious. At least there are good campsites along the way. Will mark these on the map!

Have met another traveller today. He informs me the moorland between Silverwell and Rovanna is called the Wilderland.

About 20 miles north of Moorthan there is a rather horrible bridge over a deep wide chasm. A raging river rumbles far below. A narrow footpath branches off the road here heading eastwards up river. Rode along it a ways to see how far the chasm went, in the hope I could find a less daunting crossing. A grove of pine trees grew either side of the chasm which wasn’t as deep here. Further up the hill the remains of a forest can be seen. Dead and dying silvery gray trees stand like monoliths. Some appeared to be charred. Don’t like the feel of this place. Heard the wolves again. As I turned Onyx to head back, I caught site of a rope bridge strung across the chasm tied between the tall trees. Moss and lichen hung from the rope. Only passable on foot, but definitely not by mine. Will have to take the bridge!

Camped overnight at Kilya Camp about 3 miles north of the chasm. 2 Protectors based here. They were friendly enough. Feeling unwell!

26th Hreth

Had some sort of fever… 3 nights at Kilya. I wonder if it was those pesky insects!

Felt well-enough to travel today. The road climbs steadily upwards, and then rises over the crest of the highest hill and drops down, twisting back and forth. No need to take my time. Can see the rest of the droveway from up here. The view into Rovanna is one of the best I have seen. The glistening blue grey of the sea in the east contrasts with the greenness of the land. Hills, trees, rivers and mountains are in predominance. This place is really going to challenge my skills. Will have to make friends with the locals as I won’t want to travel too remotely. Maybe someone there has done some mapping. Maybe try and find a library.

Have noted narrower paths take a more direct route down the hill, less twists and turns but too steep for my liking. Sure Onyx could manage but I felt safer on the road.

27th

Who would have though it would take so long to make it down into Rovanna. Must put it down to the twists and turns in the road as it makes its way off the moors. Stayed overnight at a rustic roadside inn. Louden, the Innkeep was welcoming enough. Says he doesn’t get much trade. Was obviously a thriving business once as plenty of beds for hire.

28th Hreth

Have finally made it to Huntsford. Nice small market town. People wary of me but I just showed them my wares. They like the idea of having maps of their region. Might stay here for a while. Also asked where I could find the people I needed to deliver letters to. Thankfully can stick to the main roads and get to Beaconsfield, Templeford and HavenGlen easily. Not sure about going all the way up to Leathforge though.

…

24th Eostre

Glim’s Inn, Huntsford

Have lost nearly a month to that dratted illness I picked up out on the drove road. Thankfully Glimson has looked after me well, not having to pay too much as I threatened to tell his customers the truth about the real Glim.

25th

Felt well enough to venture out into the town. A bit rustic but folks are welcoming, especially as I am carrying letters. Need to get on with my task. Have asked around about the villages and people I need to visit, as well as starting to map out area around the town. Do believe letter courier might be a better paid career though.

27th

Have found where Warnik lives… Redcastle on the i’tol. Can drop his letter in and travel onto Beaconsfield and HavenGlen from there.

A number of pages are missing / torn out?

28th Sere

Had enough. Plan to leave in three days before the mid-year festival. Drove Road map done and that is what I was paid to do…as well as the letter delivery and courier work. Only one letter to return to Silverwell with. Odd, though…he wrote the reply on the same parchment. Not my business though!

2nd Moed

The mid-summer caravan has arrived as I was riding out of Huntsford. They have told tales of bandits on the road, humans and goblins. Umm! I wonder if I should wait until the caravan leaves…no I have to get going.

5th Moed

Reached The Gash. River thundering below. It is an amazing geographical feature. Thought I caught sight of someone up the path to the west. Looked heavily armed but they disappeared into the scrub and boulders. Not my business. Going to try and keep going. Onyx very well after the stay in Rovanna.

6th

Arrived at Moorthan. Most of the Protectors out hunting bandits. Good!